Water closets



E. A. BRUCE WATER CLOSETS Nov. 3, 1964 Filed Sept. 27, 1963 UnitedStates Patent 3,154,796 WATER CLOSETS Ewen Anthony Bruce, 1 ApplefordCottages, Chale Green, Isle of Wight, England Filed Sept. 27, 1963, Ser.No. 312,055 6 Claims. (Cl. 490) This invention relates to water closets,more particularly, but not exclusively, intended for installation insmall marine craft, and has been devised with a view to providing animproved and elficient apparatus which is of more simple constructionand easier to operate than those at present in use.

The water closet according to the invention comprises a bowl having alid which is airtight when closed and an inlet to be connected to awater supply, and a pump mounted wherever convenient for dischargingexcrement from the bowl and creating a partial vacuum therein such aswill cause spontaneous entry of flushing water through the inlet intothe bowl.

Conveniently an air bleed-hole is incorporated in the pipe connectingthe water inlet with the water supply to prevent the formation of asyphon and to cause the fiushing water to enter the bowl as a spray ormist.

In the accompanying drawing there is schematically illustrated by way ofexample a typical water closet according to the invention as installedin the toilet compartment of a small sailing yacht.

Referring now to the drawing there is shown bolted to the floor 1 of thetoilet compartment a Water closet bowl 2 equipped with a seat 3 and alid 4 of the usual type mounted on a common hinge pin 5 for raising andlowering as required. Secured on the underside of the seat 3 is aneoprene gasket 6 of semi-circular crosssection and a similar gasket 7is secured to the underside of the lid 4.

Coupled between the outlet 8 at the bottom of the bowl 2 and the outletof an exhaust pipe 9 is a high efiiciency diaphragm pump 9a having inletand outlet passages of at least 1 /2 inches diameter controlled byneoprene flap valves. Near the top of the bowl 2 there is connected aflushing water-inlet pipe 10 of lesser diameter than exhaust pipe 9having an air inlet-orifice 11. Both the pipes 9 and 10 terminate inskin fittings 12 in the hull 13 below the normal water line W and arelooped upwardly above this level to avoid flooding. The pipes mayadditionally be fitted with stop cocks 14 if desired.

In operation, after the water closet has been used, the seat 3 and lid 4are lowered and the pump is operated to cause discharge of excrement andwater into exhaust pipe 9. Simultaneously, or directly thereafter apartial vacuum is created in the bowl 2 because the seat 3 and lid 4constitute an airtight seal and this causes water to be drawn up pipe 10and, due to the orifice 11, enter the bowl 2 as a spontaneous flushingspray. Thus after very few strokes of the pump handle the bowl is cleanand hygienic, ready to be used again.

3,l54,7% Patented Nov. 3, 1964 It is to be understood that any type ofmanually-or power-operated pump for discharging excrement and capable ofcreating a sufficiently-reduced pressure in the bowl may be fitteddirectly adjacent the bowl or in the exhaust pipe 9 where convenient.

The water closet as described is considered to be advantageous comparedwith other installations of this kind, since these almost invariablyinvolve the use of two separate pumps each having an associated valve orcock which requires to be manipulated before and after use.

Although primarily intended for marine use a water closet as abovedescribed could also be used domestically or in a caravan, train oraircraft provided that there is a suitable water supply and disposalreceptacle.

I claim:

1. A water closet comprising a bowl, a lid for sealing the bowl in anairtight manner, said bowl having an inlet connected to a water supplyand a discharge outlet, and a pump mounted wherever convenient fordischarging excrement from the bowl and creating a partial vacuumtherein such as will cause spontaneous entry of flushing water throughthe inlet into the bowl.

2. A water closet as set forth in claim 1 in which the pump is manuallyoperable and situated adjacent the bowl.

3. A water closet as set forth in claim 1 in which the pump is poweroperated.

4. A Water closet comprising a bowl, a lid for sealing the bowl in anairtight manner, said bowl having an inlet connected to a water supplyand having an air bleed orifice to cause water to issue from the inletas a spray, and a discharge outlet, and a pump mounted whereverconvenient for discharging excrement from the bowl and creating apartial vacuum therein such as will cause spontaneous entry of flushingwater through the inlet into the bowl.

5. A water closet as set forth in claim 1 including a seat, the seat andthe lid of the bowl each having a sealing gasket of resilient materialfitted to their underside.

6. A marine water closet installation comprising a bowl, a seat and alid, means for sealing the seat to the bowl and the lid to the seat,said bowl having a flushing water inlet connected to a sea water supply,and a pump mounted adjacent the bowl for discharging excrement from thebowl to the sea through a discharge outlet and creating a partial vacuumin the bowl such as will cause spontaneous entry of flushing waterthrough the inlet into the bowl.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,847,679 Burgrafi Aug. 19, 1958 2,886,826 Shaleen May 19, 19593,024,468 Burn Mar. 13, 1962 3,035,274 Baughrnan May 22, 1962 3,058,121Danko Oct. 16, 1962

1. A WATER CLOSET COMPRISING A BOWL, A LID FOR SEALING THE BOWL IN ANAIRTIGHT MANNER, SAID BOWL HAVING AN INLET CONNECTED TO A WATER SUPPLYAND A DISCHARGE OUTLET, AND A PUMP MOUNTED WHEREVER CONVENIENT FORDISCHARGING EXCREMENT FROM THE BOWL AND CREATING A PARTIAL VACUUMTHEREIN SUCH AS WILL CAUSE SPONTANEOUS ENTRY OF FLUSHING WATER THROUGHTHE INLET INTO THE BOWL.